1 00:00:18,17 --> 00:00:21,85 Hi I'm Dan Brown of The San Jose Mercury News and welcome to 2 00:00:21,86 --> 00:00:26,84 a special glimpse into football history before there was Joe Montana before there 3 00:00:26,85 --> 00:00:32,14 was Steve Young the forty niners had another Hall of Fame quarterback his name was 4 00:00:32,50 --> 00:00:39,01 Jim Abraham till you know him better is why I say Tittle was one of San Francisco's 5 00:00:39,02 --> 00:00:43,70 first professional stars flinging passes at Keys our stadium from one thousand 6 00:00:43,71 --> 00:00:48,77 fifty one through nine hundred sixty he was part of the forty niners famed million 7 00:00:48,82 --> 00:00:54,04 dollar backfield along with other early greats like Joe the jet Perry Hugh 8 00:00:54,05 --> 00:00:59,85 McElhaney and John Henry Johnson to became such an important figure in our area 9 00:01:00,11 --> 00:01:03,68 first as a player and later as a business men that the cemetery 10 00:01:03,69 --> 00:01:08,44 a County Historical Association honor to the last year with its most prestigious 11 00:01:08,45 --> 00:01:14,83 award the history maker as part of that celebration we sat down with White Total as 12 00:01:14,87 --> 00:01:19,65 home in Atherton at eighty eight years of age the record setting passer can still 13 00:01:19,66 --> 00:01:24,44 sling a good story to Bill's daughter Diane to let herself 14 00:01:24,48 --> 00:01:29,65 a distinguished harpist and poet and author was also kind enough to join our 15 00:01:29,69 --> 00:01:35,76 interview she shared on her thoughts of her father the hero so let's sit back now 16 00:01:35,77 --> 00:01:40,90 and enjoy is we hear how someone born Abraham piddle grew up to make 17 00:01:40,91 --> 00:01:46,79 a name for himself. You grew up in Marshall Texas yes what was Marshall Texas like 18 00:01:46,80 --> 00:01:52,63 when you're growing up home to me it was a beautiful place it has a has 19 00:01:52,64 --> 00:01:59,30 a pretty town it was a. Post and 20 00:01:59,31 --> 00:02:04,23 a dry county there is no alcohol no we're going on it was always there but I went 21 00:02:04,24 --> 00:02:07,24 to church church here is 22 00:02:07,25 --> 00:02:11,38 a great sound though and you met him in that very early in your life as 23 00:02:11,39 --> 00:02:18,27 a mentor in the. She went to. Grammar School when I was the Westin and I 24 00:02:18,28 --> 00:02:21,41 met her and went to junior high school oh my gosh was it 25 00:02:21,42 --> 00:02:27,47 a love at first sight to try to pretty much are dated other girls later and she did 26 00:02:27,48 --> 00:02:33,20 too but. Always said that I want to get other colors and I'm sure my view is we are 27 00:02:33,84 --> 00:02:39,98 and I didn't know her and your daughter was saying that the magazine knew before 28 00:02:40,14 --> 00:02:42,95 and that knew that you're going to propose because you said it in an interview 29 00:02:43,55 --> 00:02:47,40 right and you kind of gave it away I said it into his B. 30 00:02:47,41 --> 00:02:53,32 And I'm not sure her magazine asked me what I was going to do when I graduated said 31 00:02:53,33 --> 00:02:58,05 I did our honors and award but what was our planning we're doing I said I'm 32 00:02:58,06 --> 00:03:03,77 a graduate from college I'm arguing for my school sweetheart and at the lunch she 33 00:03:03,78 --> 00:03:09,31 was gone with another board the time she was one of the University of Arkansas. And 34 00:03:09,31 --> 00:03:16,12 . Her boyfriend supposedly read it in the. In the magazine 35 00:03:16,85 --> 00:03:23,78 got mad and they broke up and I got are. Lucky you lucky who. Or what are your 36 00:03:23,79 --> 00:03:29,00 other first early first love was football and I read that as early as ten years old 37 00:03:29,01 --> 00:03:33,50 you were pretending to be Sammy Sammy bod in the backyard What did you love about 38 00:03:33,51 --> 00:03:39,56 football while my brother played. My brother Jack played it to align University the 39 00:03:40,22 --> 00:03:46,83 past school football and he was model sorter and I always wanted to be as good as 40 00:03:46,84 --> 00:03:53,53 a jock. And so I came to play tonight in New 41 00:03:53,54 --> 00:03:57,42 Orleans and lives in your hands and now knock came along I got 42 00:03:57,43 --> 00:04:03,36 a scholarship to Cora most schools you know as you know I'm chose O.S.U. 43 00:04:03,37 --> 00:04:10,29 Because they were willing to deemphasize their sports. So sports or sellers 44 00:04:10,30 --> 00:04:15,75 you and you were still close to your brother was he. You were geographically you 45 00:04:15,76 --> 00:04:19,76 were close to your brother when you went to college you know yes very much. Well 46 00:04:20,26 --> 00:04:24,18 coming out Alice you were the first player to be drafted in the first round three 47 00:04:24,19 --> 00:04:30,73 times. You have mentioned up in San Francisco in one hundred fifty one by the time 48 00:04:30,74 --> 00:04:35,04 you're forty niners you're competing with Frankie Albert for playing time yes was 49 00:04:35,05 --> 00:04:39,62 he warm to you in that competition is he what was he friendly to you during the 50 00:04:39,63 --> 00:04:45,68 competition. Who became friends later I'd say no not at first 51 00:04:46,56 --> 00:04:52,90 what was it like at first. I asked him one time. When I was going on one of the 52 00:04:52,91 --> 00:04:59,53 game I said Frank Well what the visits are for man or five man I. Want to tell you 53 00:04:59,54 --> 00:05:05,33 you're after my job. With that kind of competition it was you know it was from 54 00:05:05,34 --> 00:05:09,77 a friend of gravitation who later became very good friends what was he like as 55 00:05:09,78 --> 00:05:15,98 a player Frankie Albert Hall he was fascinating it was crazy I mean Brando 56 00:05:15,99 --> 00:05:21,52 a play bootlegged and. Has a great quarterback but not 57 00:05:21,53 --> 00:05:28,28 a great passer. But. He played in that era where ball handling and 58 00:05:28,29 --> 00:05:34,63 faking and it was important and throwing the ball was also important but. 59 00:05:35,98 --> 00:05:40,48 Put a fake or fake in the ball that today to mean nothing he just gets 60 00:05:40,49 --> 00:05:43,49 a ball gotten through it. And it all somebody 61 00:05:44,29 --> 00:05:47,46 a few years later with the Niners you're part of the fame famous million dollar 62 00:05:47,47 --> 00:05:53,05 backfield with Joe Perry Hugh McElhaney John Henry Johnson I'm guessing you guys 63 00:05:53,06 --> 00:05:53,69 didn't really make 64 00:05:53,70 --> 00:05:58,81 a million dollars in that million dollars but no one will. Call total of all of us 65 00:05:59,11 --> 00:06:00,08 to make a million dollars Not 66 00:06:00,09 --> 00:06:03,93 a whole career. One of the nickname come from I don't. 67 00:06:07,15 --> 00:06:11,51 What were those teammates like how fast was Joe Perry Joe Perry was lightning fast 68 00:06:12,13 --> 00:06:17,60 and he jumped offside most in time it was made him faster. He was going by feel 69 00:06:17,61 --> 00:06:24,55 motion and. They didn't call him cause. He was always in motion and I thought 70 00:06:24,56 --> 00:06:26,14 he was fast but he was 71 00:06:26,15 --> 00:06:33,15 a run around guy John he was tough and even though he had. Caught 72 00:06:33,16 --> 00:06:39,95 some out and spit on him from then I say John Kerry don't. Just quit 73 00:06:40,04 --> 00:06:46,07 cousin he's got out because they're taking it out on me and. The defensive players 74 00:06:46,08 --> 00:06:50,11 we're taking it out on you. As 75 00:06:50,12 --> 00:06:54,77 a quarterback when you've got three backs with that kind of talent what your role 76 00:06:54,97 --> 00:07:01,08 how do you take the off where there was not it was first of all so it was like 77 00:07:01,09 --> 00:07:05,20 a living I haven't had that kind of great running backs but it was difficult 78 00:07:05,21 --> 00:07:11,17 because. They all want to carry the ball and so I have sort of. 79 00:07:13,71 --> 00:07:20,50 Cared for Time's John Harris five times not going to he wants it so I'd sort of try 80 00:07:20,51 --> 00:07:26,38 to balance it off of. Your other famous teammate and the other famous combination 81 00:07:26,62 --> 00:07:28,73 is the Pats with R.C.L. 82 00:07:28,74 --> 00:07:33,49 Is so far different variations of how that pass was first born you remember the 83 00:07:33,50 --> 00:07:39,47 first time you ever threw the Al you. Were No No Not totally but pretty much so I 84 00:07:39,48 --> 00:07:45,72 was trying to throw the ball away and then he just he was covered I was just. 85 00:07:46,89 --> 00:07:50,88 Trying to throw it out of bounds and I didn't get thing quite go out of bounds but 86 00:07:50,89 --> 00:07:56,40 he's up and three people were jumping for he he jumped right in the middle of balls 87 00:07:57,28 --> 00:08:03,69 and. Brought the ball down and I said Man Or C. It was 88 00:08:03,70 --> 00:08:10,43 unbelievable he said I can do it every time you know. Well he almost 89 00:08:10,44 --> 00:08:15,14 could it was that something if after that in practice that you started working on 90 00:08:15,15 --> 00:08:22,11 that you. Were no permit. It wavered just as 91 00:08:22,12 --> 00:08:27,20 a nothing but as. I called it the alley or the. It was 92 00:08:27,67 --> 00:08:31,57 a. Cartoon character and 93 00:08:31,58 --> 00:08:38,36 a funny book name. And I did people ask me what did you do with the ball I 94 00:08:38,37 --> 00:08:41,02 just added I just did up there in 95 00:08:41,03 --> 00:08:47,81 a name called on they named him after they made him go. Why did that play work so 96 00:08:47,92 --> 00:08:49,48 so well well what about R.C. 97 00:08:49,49 --> 00:08:55,74 Owens athleticism when his ability to time his job. Was 98 00:08:56,28 --> 00:09:02,95 first of all he was. A good jumper start with make it really jump. And put here 99 00:09:02,96 --> 00:09:08,73 great timing and knew how to time his job sometimes good job hiring catching those 100 00:09:08,74 --> 00:09:12,68 terrorists because he could. Have too there's 101 00:09:12,69 --> 00:09:19,62 a lame duck there just floor him. And all his defensive players because they're all 102 00:09:19,63 --> 00:09:21,42 running major other trying to get to 103 00:09:21,43 --> 00:09:27,93 a course in front of and sometimes catching this his chance was at his basketball 104 00:09:27,94 --> 00:09:33,41 background I think so. But you got it up with more than one nickname I guess it's 105 00:09:33,42 --> 00:09:33,92 a sign of being 106 00:09:33,93 --> 00:09:38,98 a great player but the the colonel How did your Colonel nickname come about because 107 00:09:39,54 --> 00:09:44,71 he called me Colonel slick Colonel So I don't know what that means but. Not only 108 00:09:44,92 --> 00:09:51,30 who gave me the name. But they call me Carl slick. Whatever that means and the bald 109 00:09:51,31 --> 00:09:58,04 eagle and the bald eagle and many other bad names of the friends go on me. Those 110 00:09:58,05 --> 00:09:59,59 are nicknames of pride and like so much. 111 00:10:04,64 --> 00:10:08,36 Use especially so you would Frank Albert essentially started this great quarterback 112 00:10:08,37 --> 00:10:12,73 tradition with the forty niners that went on to include Montana and how far from 113 00:10:12,74 --> 00:10:18,27 Frank was it you know to me he'd already played here. And then I came here I came 114 00:10:18,28 --> 00:10:24,33 here from Baltimore. And. Frank was 115 00:10:25,00 --> 00:10:31,18 a great quarterback but the game it changed. When I came here 116 00:10:32,04 --> 00:10:36,00 I became San Francisco. Their art of the T. 117 00:10:36,01 --> 00:10:42,58 Formation faking in and faking this guy and again you know that was kind of sort of 118 00:10:42,59 --> 00:10:49,49 over it was just. The forward pass I mean more and more that even the ones 119 00:10:49,79 --> 00:10:50,06 who want 120 00:10:50,07 --> 00:10:56,35 a first team formation team is playing the skill of faking the want to fit into 121 00:10:56,36 --> 00:11:00,33 another and pitcher that out was very important part was 122 00:11:00,34 --> 00:11:04,72 a master of that. Born in one nine hundred sixty one to forty nine 123 00:11:04,73 --> 00:11:08,74 a stranger to New York in your queue career flourishes there you have some 124 00:11:08,83 --> 00:11:12,69 fantastic years why was that. Why was that such 125 00:11:12,70 --> 00:11:16,75 a good match you playing New York with the Giants Why was what why was it such 126 00:11:16,76 --> 00:11:20,51 a good match for you playing in New York with the Giants because your career really 127 00:11:20,52 --> 00:11:20,65 had 128 00:11:20,66 --> 00:11:27,19 a second life when I decided to live true. First of all playing in the biggest city 129 00:11:27,20 --> 00:11:33,07 in the world being on Broadway and see your name in lives and how there was forget 130 00:11:33,08 --> 00:11:38,80 that you are great as are my live time and this was walking down through Times 131 00:11:38,81 --> 00:11:45,24 Square metal to get tight birdie there goes around says till Scout skins seven 132 00:11:45,25 --> 00:11:51,81 touchdowns to scout skin and boy my wife and I just stopped and looked at and took 133 00:11:51,82 --> 00:11:58,68 pictures. We were we were in heaven or yeah. Well then and you're huge here 134 00:11:58,99 --> 00:12:03,94 I guess nineteen sixty two throwing thirty six touchdown passes was 135 00:12:03,95 --> 00:12:08,36 a record that student told Dan Marino broken how much pride you're taken to knowing 136 00:12:08,37 --> 00:12:12,95 that touchdown single season touchdown record for so long well I you know. 137 00:12:15,31 --> 00:12:21,77 Amazing sound corny but. I really didn't pay much attention to records. 138 00:12:26,06 --> 00:12:29,98 How does one of the women I want to be the best are but I would just want to win. 139 00:12:31,20 --> 00:12:37,03 But I did. Think about seven touchdowns in one game. 140 00:12:38,07 --> 00:12:40,43 Now I look back at it I could have gone for 141 00:12:40,44 --> 00:12:46,74 a moment didn't do it. How to be showing off. That's what's 142 00:12:46,75 --> 00:12:50,15 a record I hate Oh. I think it is 143 00:12:50,16 --> 00:12:55,57 a yeah I could retire Yeah you could own it I could you know I couldn't. Do it now 144 00:12:55,58 --> 00:12:58,59 if I had a chance to do it all over again and not to wait for 145 00:12:58,60 --> 00:13:04,26 a comeback. In one thousand nine hundred four starts winding down after what you 146 00:13:04,27 --> 00:13:08,12 are I guess referred to as the blood picture the famous photograph of you on your 147 00:13:08,13 --> 00:13:08,80 knees after 148 00:13:08,81 --> 00:13:15,72 a game getting hit what do you think about when you see that picture. Well. 149 00:13:17,48 --> 00:13:24,32 It made me famous more than anything else. But. I don't 150 00:13:24,33 --> 00:13:30,17 remember who I remember getting hit and I don't remember that I do remember that 151 00:13:30,51 --> 00:13:35,76 talk of years ago coming up and sticking the camera right in my face or underneath 152 00:13:35,77 --> 00:13:42,48 me and she had no over the place. And I don't remember who it me. But I 153 00:13:42,49 --> 00:13:49,48 was helped. Well your career winds down after that but you had even as 154 00:13:49,49 --> 00:13:56,42 a player started insurance business. Why did you started so early. Well 155 00:13:56,43 --> 00:14:00,95 everybody has to do something and the old soon you had. The moment where you made. 156 00:14:02,45 --> 00:14:03,23 Good money as 157 00:14:03,24 --> 00:14:09,12 a football player but what if you didn't work in the offseason Oh all your money 158 00:14:09,13 --> 00:14:13,83 that you played for would be spent and you would save me and I and so I had 159 00:14:13,84 --> 00:14:15,61 a chance to go home with 160 00:14:15,62 --> 00:14:21,62 a friend. And asked me to become 161 00:14:21,63 --> 00:14:24,12 a partner and I hardly had become 162 00:14:24,13 --> 00:14:29,91 a miner partner and then eventually bought him out in the rational men. Not only 163 00:14:29,92 --> 00:14:36,66 business credit again came an opportunity. To do so many other players are 164 00:14:36,67 --> 00:14:40,65 unprepared for life after football if you spoke with other players about being 165 00:14:40,66 --> 00:14:44,77 ready for that next step in life you know I haven't talked to anybody like that. 166 00:14:46,02 --> 00:14:50,74 Normally Today they make enough money they don't have to worry about that you know 167 00:14:50,75 --> 00:14:54,92 nowadays right they really are the million dollar back to where we had to worry 168 00:14:54,93 --> 00:14:59,62 about. In one nine hundred seventy one year in trying to the Pro Football Hall of 169 00:14:59,63 --> 00:15:05,80 Fame What does that undermine to you everything well what I mean. 170 00:15:09,30 --> 00:15:10,40 Oh I've was from 171 00:15:10,41 --> 00:15:16,03 a little kid it was his football prom junior high school in Marshall dogs is to 172 00:15:16,04 --> 00:15:22,81 Marshall High School. And to Ellis you. Know my years. Of 173 00:15:22,82 --> 00:15:23,30 Football was 174 00:15:23,31 --> 00:15:30,14 a life for me. And. Nearly to the Hall of Fame has. 175 00:15:31,89 --> 00:15:38,52 It's because honor my life. And then finally my last question you've been blessed 176 00:15:38,53 --> 00:15:38,79 with such 177 00:15:38,80 --> 00:15:45,59 a wonderful family wonderful home to your back. Over there is my turn 178 00:15:45,60 --> 00:15:52,41 Diane somewhere and one of the biggest harm and I. Know. This and 179 00:15:52,96 --> 00:15:53,69 in sports it was 180 00:15:53,70 --> 00:15:59,05 a big honor yes. Why thank you so much for making the time and we're here to talk 181 00:15:59,06 --> 00:16:03,15 to you and George only to you both thank you so much when people say when they when 182 00:16:03,16 --> 00:16:09,98 they come up to him. I think what is so wonderful for me for so many years is 183 00:16:09,99 --> 00:16:15,85 that dad has been on a first name basis with the world he's never Mr title it's 184 00:16:15,86 --> 00:16:22,60 a way hey you know hey it's it's. It's like he 185 00:16:22,68 --> 00:16:25,47 he he's just always been on 186 00:16:25,48 --> 00:16:31,13 a first name basis with the world so whatever is said. There's 187 00:16:32,07 --> 00:16:35,54 a feeling that he's a part of their lives in they're 188 00:16:35,55 --> 00:16:40,51 a part of his his life and and so it goes and it's been that way for 189 00:16:40,52 --> 00:16:47,35 a very very long time we've gone back to East Texas recently and to you and I've 190 00:16:47,36 --> 00:16:53,76 just been amazed at. The way memories gather and people when they choose to 191 00:16:53,77 --> 00:17:00,76 remember the good. Really do celebrate. The moments that Dad gave 192 00:17:00,77 --> 00:17:05,62 them to imagine when he was out there doing his best and and going for the the 193 00:17:05,63 --> 00:17:07,81 touchdown it's very sweet it's 194 00:17:07,82 --> 00:17:13,72 a very it's amazing really because. It's really 195 00:17:13,73 --> 00:17:14,91 a privilege to have been 196 00:17:14,92 --> 00:17:20,15 a witness to to that kind of exchange you member dawning on you as 197 00:17:20,16 --> 00:17:24,40 a kid that everybody knew your father like when you do realize he was you were the 198 00:17:24,49 --> 00:17:24,85 daughter of 199 00:17:24,86 --> 00:17:31,71 a star. You know. When Dad got traded to New York it was 200 00:17:31,72 --> 00:17:34,91 as though we all went through 201 00:17:34,92 --> 00:17:41,84 a divorce it seemed terrible that that dad was going to leave our team our 202 00:17:41,85 --> 00:17:47,100 town our community so I dad had kept his career 203 00:17:48,81 --> 00:17:55,38 believe it or not as something so very separate from our day in day out our 204 00:17:55,39 --> 00:18:01,82 family life that I really wasn't aware that. Of his quote 205 00:18:01,83 --> 00:18:08,63 unquote fame until he was traded prior to that I was always as 206 00:18:08,64 --> 00:18:14,89 a young child very protective of my father who seemed so vulnerable you know I 207 00:18:14,90 --> 00:18:21,52 think I I mentioned somewhere that most kids had fathers who were larger than 208 00:18:21,53 --> 00:18:26,63 life and mine from where I sat in the stands was no larger than my thumb and he was 209 00:18:26,64 --> 00:18:32,05 always getting squashed and he was always beaten beaten up come Monday morning so I 210 00:18:32,06 --> 00:18:38,92 always felt that I didn't feel or exultant his fame until much 211 00:18:38,93 --> 00:18:45,62 much later because he always seemed so so. So fragile to me as 212 00:18:45,63 --> 00:18:51,85 a little person but in New York of course suddenly you know Those were heady days 213 00:18:51,95 --> 00:18:56,82 and I was coming of age and I sort of knew more of what was going on beyond my 214 00:18:57,28 --> 00:19:03,46 instinctive desire to defend him from those who would you know beat him into the 215 00:19:03,47 --> 00:19:05,61 earth you know you've written 216 00:19:05,62 --> 00:19:09,68 a book Giants and heroes about life with your father what what inspired you to 217 00:19:09,69 --> 00:19:15,19 write this book. Well to be honest with you as 218 00:19:15,20 --> 00:19:21,90 a little girl I was always fascinated by. By the hero and 219 00:19:21,91 --> 00:19:25,79 why people would come up to me and say Well your father is 220 00:19:25,80 --> 00:19:32,74 a hero your father is an athletic hero and for me the obvious you know result of 221 00:19:32,75 --> 00:19:35,84 that question was to ask myself what is 222 00:19:35,85 --> 00:19:40,99 a hero why are athletes considered heroes what does it mean to be 223 00:19:41,00 --> 00:19:47,30 a hero what do you do I mean how is I going to make that definition relevant 224 00:19:47,86 --> 00:19:53,69 in my own life you know and then again the other the sequel to that is well it's 225 00:19:53,70 --> 00:19:55,34 only a game well what is 226 00:19:55,35 --> 00:20:00,14 a game and it's certainly deadly serious for those of us in our family who were 227 00:20:00,44 --> 00:20:06,01 always in pursuit of that champion chip that championship moment whatever it was it 228 00:20:06,02 --> 00:20:10,66 came to mean something to everyone in my family beyond points on 229 00:20:10,67 --> 00:20:16,41 a score board so. Just growing up in the midst of this. 230 00:20:19,03 --> 00:20:25,91 This war in the presence of this word hero athletic hero. I made it 231 00:20:25,92 --> 00:20:31,50 my business to praise heroes at the harp I became 232 00:20:31,51 --> 00:20:34,22 a harpist. As an adult 233 00:20:34,26 --> 00:20:40,32 a professional harpist and I left classical repertoire behind because I was really 234 00:20:40,33 --> 00:20:46,53 interested in the oral tradition and in praising heroes at the harp and in praising 235 00:20:46,54 --> 00:20:53,17 heroes with the written word with my poetry. With the book that I wrote it's all 236 00:20:53,18 --> 00:20:59,75 a part of my ongoing struggle to define the hero because I 237 00:20:59,76 --> 00:21:02,20 think this was something of my legacy as 238 00:21:02,21 --> 00:21:07,41 a football player's daughter to ask the question not to have the answer but to ask 239 00:21:07,42 --> 00:21:13,99 the question and fortunately for me. As I continue to wonder 240 00:21:14,44 --> 00:21:20,88 about the hero it led me in some wonderful new directions in in my own creative 241 00:21:20,89 --> 00:21:27,64 life one of which I think I mentioned previously was the discovery of. One of the 242 00:21:27,65 --> 00:21:32,50 world's first sports writers an ancient poet by the name of Pindar who wrote 243 00:21:32,54 --> 00:21:38,27 victory songs for the winners in the ancient games and I was drawn to the way he 244 00:21:38,28 --> 00:21:43,93 saw sport because it was said of Pindar that he saw in the moment 245 00:21:43,97 --> 00:21:46,46 a victory and I'm quoting here 246 00:21:46,82 --> 00:21:53,48 a kind of transcendence briefly remaking radiant an otherwise dark and brutal world 247 00:21:54,29 --> 00:22:00,88 and I was so fascinated with his verse his celebration of the athlete 248 00:22:01,18 --> 00:22:07,75 and the way he saw the victory as something more than points on 249 00:22:07,76 --> 00:22:12,27 a score board and of course for my father who's dream it had been from six years 250 00:22:12,28 --> 00:22:16,98 old to to live his passion in the world. 251 00:22:19,59 --> 00:22:21,15 This through me and I wrote 252 00:22:21,16 --> 00:22:28,15 a book that was to my way of thinking an attempt to add to my definition of the 253 00:22:28,16 --> 00:22:35,08 hero and then to. To rekindle this tradition of 254 00:22:35,15 --> 00:22:42,04 praising the hero even if I didn't quite have the working definition down. To 255 00:22:42,11 --> 00:22:45,83 to making a praise song from my father and not for 256 00:22:45,84 --> 00:22:49,55 a victory Pindar praised victories I praised 257 00:22:49,59 --> 00:22:55,30 a defeat I chose the one nine hundred sixty three championship game where I was the 258 00:22:55,31 --> 00:23:01,95 little girl crying in the stands to be that. That challenge so that I could 259 00:23:01,96 --> 00:23:08,77 define the hero in light of the way that many heroes just have to give their 260 00:23:08,78 --> 00:23:15,69 all for whatever the moment gives and. And celebrate the good struggle and 261 00:23:15,70 --> 00:23:21,20 that's what my father gave me on that day to imagine the relentless struggle to 262 00:23:21,21 --> 00:23:27,92 give his best to be his best and that's what I saw it took me decades to try to put 263 00:23:27,93 --> 00:23:34,76 words to it but that's what I tried to put words to In my book. Which is 264 00:23:36,02 --> 00:23:41,89 about many things about my father about my life but at the root of it it's the same 265 00:23:41,90 --> 00:23:43,01 old question what is 266 00:23:43,02 --> 00:23:49,77 a hero and why do we have the heroes we have or honored to be. Paying tribute to 267 00:23:49,78 --> 00:23:55,36 a hero what does his army into the family. This is 268 00:23:55,37 --> 00:24:01,83 a great honor given to my dad by the. San Mateo County Historical 269 00:24:01,84 --> 00:24:07,14 Association as the history maker of two for two thousand and fourteen. 270 00:24:09,33 --> 00:24:15,84 You know Dad has received many honors in his life but this again this is this is 271 00:24:15,85 --> 00:24:19,36 home for us this is our community and to be 272 00:24:19,37 --> 00:24:25,69 a history maker. Implies that you have 273 00:24:25,70 --> 00:24:32,31 contributed something to the community that you give something to your community 274 00:24:32,39 --> 00:24:36,91 community no matter what you do no matter what your field of endeavor is and it's 275 00:24:36,92 --> 00:24:42,66 an honor that my dad should be remembered for. For his life. 276 00:24:44,39 --> 00:24:51,20 Not just as an athlete who won but for the kind of man he is. Was married to my 277 00:24:51,21 --> 00:24:53,100 mother for sixty five years my dad is 278 00:24:54,01 --> 00:25:00,29 a great grandfather he last year taught my two granddaughters how to go out for 279 00:25:00,30 --> 00:25:04,83 a pass my daughter was running deep in this and that it's 280 00:25:04,84 --> 00:25:10,28 a great honor for the family and of course all of the family will be there were all 281 00:25:10,29 --> 00:25:15,05 included in the celebration and I appreciate that Mitch postal and everyone 282 00:25:15,06 --> 00:25:17,90 involved is. Making it 283 00:25:17,91 --> 00:25:23,57 a real story telling and. And that's that's 284 00:25:23,58 --> 00:25:30,03 a thrill for us thanks so much for joining us you know why digital spent seventeen 285 00:25:30,04 --> 00:25:35,09 seasons in professional football and he made the Pro Bowl seven times when he was 286 00:25:35,10 --> 00:25:39,00 inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in one nine hundred seventy one his 287 00:25:39,01 --> 00:25:43,84 induction class included the likes of Norm Varian Rockland Jim Brown and Vince 288 00:25:43,85 --> 00:25:46,26 Lombardi was to clear up 289 00:25:46,27 --> 00:25:50,87 a few of the other questions left unanswered in our conversation why digital is 290 00:25:50,87 --> 00:25:56,20 indeed the only player drafted in the first round three times. The first two times 291 00:25:56,21 --> 00:25:58,92 came in one thousand nine hundred eighty eight when he was taken by the Cleveland 292 00:25:58,93 --> 00:26:02,84 Browns of the All-American Football Conference about the Detroit Lions of the 293 00:26:02,85 --> 00:26:03,41 N.F.L. 294 00:26:04,32 --> 00:26:08,46 The third time came in one nine hundred fifty one when the Niners selected him in 295 00:26:08,47 --> 00:26:13,85 the first round of the dispersal draft and as for the question regarding which 296 00:26:13,89 --> 00:26:18,58 opposing player tackled title just before the photographer stepped the famous 297 00:26:18,59 --> 00:26:22,90 photograph of the helmet less quarterback on his knees Well that was Pittsburgh 298 00:26:22,91 --> 00:26:27,21 Steelers defensive end John Baker who did it on September twentieth one thousand 299 00:26:27,22 --> 00:26:31,76 nine hundred sixty four thanks to you at home for coming along on this journey into 300 00:26:31,77 --> 00:26:34,51 football's past and thanks of course to the Y 301 00:26:34,52 --> 00:26:39,05 a total family for the special glimpse into the into the life of one of the N.F.L. 302 00:26:39,07 --> 00:26:44,42 Zz all time greatest players until we meet again I'm Dan Brown of The San Jose 303 00:26:44,43 --> 00:26:45,30 Mercury News.